


Senbonzakura and the Prime

by VicenteValtieri



Series: A Thousand Lives Unlived [12]
Category: Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: And Orion, And Seekers, I should be working on other stuff, I'm Sorry, M/M, Martial Arts, Seekers, and this happened, so i was thinking
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-12
Updated: 2019-04-10
Packaged: 2019-10-27 01:48:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 12
Words: 11,974
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17757479
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VicenteValtieri/pseuds/VicenteValtieri
Summary: 千本桜とプライム  - THIS STORY IS NOT WRITTEN IN JAPANESE. I THOUGHT A JAPANESE TITLE WOULD LOOK COOL, THAT IS ALL.I suck at summaries. And writing on a schedule. And endings. And keeping promises.Starscream was a Prince of Vos until he lost his wings. Orion was a Detective until he became a Prime. Megatron is a jerk. Soundwave is a creeper. Politics are a pain in the neck. Martial Artists are awesome. War is Hell. 'Nough said. On with the show!LAST HURRAH.Take Note: This is not IDW's Functionism. In this fic, each city practices their own brand of Functionism to one degree or another and the government is less united than usual. The Prime still holds a great deal of influence in the other cities and his position has political power in them "officially" but in reality, each city has a ruler or leader who does things his own way. If you don't like it, then read something else. I have plenty of traditionally functionistic fics.





	1. The Seeker In The Mist

Orion Pax patrolled one of the worse districts of Iacon with a sense of uneasy purpose. He was familiarizing himself with the back routes through the parts of the city ruled by mob and sneak thief. The small shops that lined these streets had bars across the windows. The bars looked dark and unfriendly. The streets were filled with muck, washed out of the main roads, and uncaringly down into the alleys. Above his head, walkways for the more fortunate spanned over the filth-lined streets. Cameras surveyed for any dangers above.

It was foggy down here, this close to the ground. The one good thing about living so close to the base of Iacon was that the heat rising from underground generators kept it reasonably comfortable. The downside was the thick mist that made it difficult to see more than a few hundred meters in any direction. Orion had his brights on at full.

“You seem lost, Stranger.” A voice addressed him from out of the mist. “This isn’t the place for anyone to wander alone. Not even a police officer.”

Optimus prepared his stunning weapons as he answered, keeping it civil for now. “What are you doing out then?”

The voice chuckled beneath its breath and a petite figure appeared at his side. “Walking home.” Whoever this was, they certainly didn’t seem as much a threat as the ominous fog had suggested. Orion couldn’t determine their alt-mode, and they wore a leather jacket with a dragon embossed into the back. Unusual. It must have been expensive. Perhaps it was stolen? No, somehow that didn’t seem likely. This person was far too confident in the face of a Police Officer to be a criminal.

“…Greetings.” Orion decided neutrally. 

“Insalmal.” The mech stated back. A Seeker then. Orion recognized the cant of the distinctive city. But no matter how he studied the figure walking beside him, he couldn’t see a wing. “So long as you’re wandering about, do you mind walking me home?”

“Of course not. Where do you live?”

“On the University level in the Eastern quadrant.” The Seeker replied easily and without a hint of falsehood. 

“Why would you come all the way down here to walk home then?” Optimus frowned.

“There’s a tax on the use of the footbridges between the sectors. It would cost me too much to walk home topside.” The Seeker thumbed upwards. “I’m a working mech, not a noble.”

“I see.” Orion looked down and noticed that the Seeker was wearing a rubber covering over each pede to keep them out of the muck. “Why don’t you fly? There isn’t a tax on that.”

The Seeker straightened his shoulders. “Do you see a pair of wings on me?”

“I apologize.” Orion backed down immediately and they continued on through the western quadrant to the East in silence. “…What happened?”

“I was Poached.” The mech stated coldly. “By Convoy Tourists.” 

Orion winced. That was truly nasty. Poaching was a horrid practice where Seekers were hunted and their wings torn off for sport. It had been banned for centuries, but it still went on sometimes. Especially among the corrupted nobles. A rite of passage in some families. Meeting a victim was fascinating though. Briefly, Orion considered asking more questions, but ultimately decided against it. He wouldn’t take the risk of alienating the mech further. “I’m so sorry. It’s an abominable practice.”

“Those are some hundred-credit words.” The Seeker airily commented. “You’re not a C-Grade beat cop, are you?”

“I’m a detective, and I read quite a bit.” Orion informed the educated Seeker. “Do you study at University or just live on the level?”

“I own a dojo there.” He casually replied. “You should come. I teach a class specialized for law enforcement officers. Depending on your CO, usually it’s covered by annual training.” He fished a chip out of his subspace and passed it to Orion. “And yes, I do study at the University.”

“What’s your focus?” Orion palmed the chip and discretely scanned it for viruses before plugging it in. It was a business card – Starscream, doyenne of the Senbonzakura Dojo. Specialized in all Seven forms of Vosnian self-defense with classes ranging from beginning to quite advanced. According to the card, Starscream trained bodyguards, soldiers, guardsmen, and police officers personally, while he staffed a few less experienced teachers to train less advanced classmechs.

“Science and Engineering. I came in before the University barred Seekers and it’s forbidden to expel accepted students without good reason.” He stretched his back, the dragons on his jacket seeming to move. “I will never give them a good reason.”

“Is it very expensive?” 

“I have good enough grades that they’re required by law to assist me with tuition and I live out of the dojo.” Starscream informed as they reached one of the elevators that lifted mechs from the surface to the heights of the Primal Palace. Instead of swiping a chip card to summon the elevator, Starscream grabbed onto a set of hand holds and prepared to climb up. “Thank you. For the company. Don’t let yourself get lost down here.”

“I’ll try not to.” Orion assured, watching as he began to climb up the three sections to the University level. There was a fee for using the elevators too.

It wasn’t long before he called the elevator in the North Quadrant, at the end of his patrol and ready to return to his own apartment and recharge. He had been approached twice by groups of mechs who backed off quickly when he sparked his stun baton. He looked down at the card and then tucked it away. He had never thought of how many fees there were just to walk about. Of course, his were pre-paid. He was a police officer, his job forced him to walk on the walkways and use the elevators. One of the few perks of being a law enforcement officer. Well, the few legal perks. He had had mechs trying to bribe him to look the other way more than once. 

Prowl was still at the station when Orion came in. “Back from your exploratory?” Prowl pushed a form towards Orion.

“Yes.” Orion sighed and picked up the form, scanning the empty spaces. “…There was not enough activity to justify filling out a 3487Y, Prowl.”

“It’s procedure, Orion.” Prowl reminded, tapping at his data station.

Orion grumbled and began filling in blanks. “Do you know if Chief Ironhide approves third-party dojos for regular training?” He had never had reason to think about third-party training before. The Station had its own gym and overworked instructors.

“He does, but it has to be one of the approved instructors.” Prowl replied, already pulling up a list.

“What about Senbonzakura Dojo?” Orion filled in a brief description of the mechs he had sparked his baton at, what little he had seen. 

“Seeker runs that place.” Prowl stated flatly. 

“Don’t be a functionist. Is it approved or not?” His partner stated equally flatly.

“…Technically, it is. But you know people will gossip if you start taking your training at a Vosnian dojo.”

“I’m a Convoy, Prowl, and I have an excellent record. I think I’ll be fine.”

“You have a record of being reckless and making poor decisions as well.” Prowl pointed out. 

“…They’re only poor decisions if you’re a close-minded, ancient, rusty-“

“The next words out of your vox box had better be polite or I’m suspendin’ yer aft.” Chief Ironhide spoke up from directly behind Orion.

The Convoy jumped almost a mile in the air.

“Now git, the both of you! It’s too late for decent mechs who ain’t on call to be here. Leave the datawork until morning. Git!” The bossy red Convoy flushed them out.


	2. The Dojo and a Dragon

Orion signed up for an initial assessment at the Senbonzakura Dojo. He found out that he was one of three other mechs who used it, in spite of the Doyenne’s rumored skill. Starscream was a Seeker and that carried a taint with it here in Iacon where mechs bowed to the grand taxonomy. Still, it seemed like the dojo did a good bit of business. Perhaps the mechs who hired bodyguards were more sensible than governmental officials. After all, if you needed to be protected, hire dragons.

And dragons were everywhere inside the dojo, most of them with the black branches of the Sakura tree – bursting with bright pink flowers – in their mouths and all of them in various fighting stances. For the lackluster location, a lot of work had been put into the dojo, which had been built into an old strip mall and had three training rooms. 

“Kya!” One of the instructors was a Praxian wearing a red band around his arms and was teaching very basic self-defense to a group of University students. He gave regular, counted cries and his students jabbed out with both hands into the air in front of him. Practicing an attack designed to knock back another mech and give them some space. 

“Baton up! Protect your helm!” In a smaller training room, Orion could see Starscream training with another officer. The mech’s leather jacket was wrapped tight about his frame and zippered up. He gave the officer a good thunk on the top of his helm. “Baton UP!”

The mech lifted his baton finally and blocked the next tap, lashing out with one pede in an attempt to gain space. Starscream changed attacks at once, switching servos and lashed out at the back of the officers’ knee, knocking him down entirely before flipping up into the air and landing squarely over the mech, baton tapping at his neck. “Dead.” The Seeker helped the downed mech up. “Good session. I’ll see you next decacycle.”

“…Good session, Sensei.” The other mech put a servo to his helm as he stepped out of the training room and gave Orion a long-suffering look. “…He’s tough for a Seeker.”

“He’s tough for any mech.” Orion replied, stepping into the small training room. “Good morning, Starscream.”

“Good morning Sensei to you.” Starscream replied, hanging up the batons. “You’re here for an initial test. I suppose you’ve had all the basic Police training. Good, then they’ll have told you at least once to-“ Orion was battered from behind by a sudden and stunning blow, knocked into the center of the room by a double-legged kick from a second tri-color Seeker, whose main color was white. “-pay attention to your surroundings at all times.” Starscream finished. “Thank you, Pharma.”

Orion sat up and swung to his pedes, turning around to look at the Seeker who had suckered him. 

“Pharma is going to be your opponent for the sake of this test.” Starscream told Orion, stepping to the front of the room and off the practice mat. “Defend yourself as best you can.”

“Yes, Sensei.” Orion kept his optics on Pharma, clenching his servos into two fists. One Seeker. How hard could it be? Just stay on his pedes, try to avoid any more attacks…

…Oh, Primus, was he fast.

Orion would learn later on that Pharma was attending University just like Starscream and, in exchange for room and board, he taught a few basic classes at the dojo every week. He would become a doctor in time, but he viewed the Hippocratic Oath as applying only to patients he was currently treating. Not to say, Convoys in the middle of a test. In fact, he had a bit of a vendetta against any Convoy. 

Pharma came fast and hard, charging only to leap suddenly and backflip over Orion. He dug his shoulder into the Convoy’s back and sent him sprawling where he pounced on the other mech and put him in a choke.

Starscream whistled sharply and Pharma got up and returned to his starting position on the mat. From there, the Seeker folded his arms and waited for Orion to recover. “You done?”

“No.” Orion rumbled. He had been taken by surprise. That wouldn’t happen again. He pushed himself up and onto his pedes. “…Do that again.”

“Later.” Pharma’s blue eyes flashed. “For now, I’m going to do this.” In spite of his words, he charged Orion again and made to leap. Orion ducked to the side and turned and unwittingly played into the Seeker’s servos. Pharma planted his pedes on the ceiling and pushed downwards, off balancing Orion before delivering a mighty cuff to his audials. Now disoriented, the detective staggered and Pharma leapt off of his shoulder to grip his wrist and toss him into a wall.

“How are such small mechs so strong…?” Orion thought as he lay splattered on the mat, arms spread. 

“We’re Seekers.” Pharma told him. “There’s a lot more mass in our frames, but it’s pocketed into subspace. For power to size ratio, you can’t really get better.”

Apparently, he had done his thinking out loud. Orion briefly considered staying down, but he suspected that would lose him points in Starscream’s estimation, and it was certainly a coward’s move. He pushed upwards again and shakily got to his pedes. “…I’m ready.” He could hear the ragged edge in his voice, could feel a deep sense of frustration rising in his spark.

“No, you’re not.” Starscream cut in before the punishment could continue, stepping into the center of the mat, between them. “Pharma, take five. Orion, with me.”

Orion warily watched Starscream as Pharma moved off the mat and leaned against a wall. “Is this another ‘pay attention’ test?” He questioned, optics moving over the room.

“Only in the sense that if you don’t pay attention to me, you won’t learn anything.” Starscream informed, taking a relaxed stance and crossing his arms over his cockpit. He formed his digits into a curled claw and tipped them inwards. “Mirror my stance.”

Orion did his best, planting his pedes on the mat. “…Okay.”

“Take a deep vent in and hold it.” Starscream in-vented and then slowly lifted his servos above his helm. “Reach for the sky, as high as you can. Make your spine completely straight.”

“The Martial Arts I will be teaching you are called Masayoshi – Justice. They require a clear mind and an open spark. You’re very strong, and your armor is thick. And you’ve clearly relied on these in the past, but this class requires a different kind of strength. You have to have a strong processor. Keep yourself calm, even when your opponent is angry.” Starscream released his stance and stepped aside. “Now that you’ve had a few moments to cool down, Pharma, demonstrate another attack.”

Orion was proud to say that he almost dodged the Seeker’s charge this time.


	3. Jazz and Prowl

Orion held the cold pack Starscream had handed him to his cheekplate. Pharma had landed a good punch right on the strut and they were sitting in the Seeker’s office while the medic applied some First Aid. Orion couldn’t help his optics wandering over the walls, which were decorated with photographs of students, Vos, and dotted with diplomas. Orion counted 11 in the hard sciences and in engineering and 3 in Philosophy and Literature. 

“It shouldn’t bruise.” The almost-doctor decided after a few minutes. “Keep the cold pack on it as much as you can and if it does bruise, soak your head in hot oil and rub the spot to disperse the bruise.”

“Did you just tell me to boil my processor in medical?” Orion grumbled to the Seeker.

Pharma chuffed what might have been a short laugh. “Something like that.”

“You did well. For a beginner.” Starscream told the police officer. “We’ll schedule your next training session soon.”

“I can see why you’re not afraid to walk home through the underlevels.” Orion told the martial artist.

“I may have a reputation with the villains down there as being a very hard target.” Starscream agreed. “Though I suspect that some of them have tried to sign up for lessons here. Luckily, the only real availabilities we have are in the beginner classes and the only thing we teach in those classes are Boei and Esukepu – Defense and Escape. So they’re not very useful for criminals.”

“Any martial arts training can be dangerous in the wrong servos.” Pharma brought over a small cube of coolant. “Drink this. You’re going to over heat if you’re not careful.”

“Thank you.” Orion tossed some back and stood up. “So, I passed?”

“I wouldn’t say that. But no student passes the first test on the first try. Come back next decacycle, and we’ll begin training in earnest.” Starscream pulled out a datapad. “Let’s get you on the schedule.”

Orion looked over the available slots and noticed that most of them had the names of police officers on the Cycles’ end dates. The dojo seemed to attract officers from other precincts as well as his own. And there were several slots filled with “Bodyguard Class” simply. Orion chose an empty Klickcycle and Starscream wrote him in. 

“Good day, Orion.”

“Good day, Star – I mean, Sensei.” Orion remembered just in time to avoid a reprimand and escaped before Pharma could decide that he still hadn’t learned to observe his surroundings properly.

It seemed that being run, owned, and taught by a Seeker wasn’t hurting the dojo too badly. Orion wondered if the fees for the walkways and elevators were higher for Seeker-frames briefly. A dojo with regular business led by such a skilled doyenne should have been taking in a tidy profit, assuming that all was fair and above board. And Starscream certainly seemed more than able to add up a few numbers and balance a budget.

Orion wondered briefly if Starscream would focus on the dojo instead of the vendetta he seemed to have with the University, if the whole wouldn’t be better off. Either that or find a scientific research position already. He had to have the credentials for one by now, with 11 Ph.D.s. The last person to collect more than two or three that Orion knew of was Wheeljack – who worked as an inventor in energon collection and weapons development. He had gathered six degrees before being kicked out for blowing up the Chemistry Wing – according his mate, Ratchet. 

Perhaps Starscream couldn’t find work as a scientist. That might be half the battle. Being a student could be as close as he could get to finding work in his own field. When he thought of that, it was incredibly sad.

It wasn’t his place to pass judgment on another mech’s finances. It was Starscream’s money to do with as he pleased, and if he wanted to keep paying the portion his GPA wouldn’t cover, then it was his to decide. He wasn’t starving, clearly, and he seemed mostly at peace with his life – running his business and attending classes. His walks in the under levels offered no danger to a warrior of his caliber. In short, he was doing nothing wrong, harmed no one, and lived as he wanted. That had to be some kind of success.

 

“Where’d you get that, Hero Cop?” Jazz was outside the precinct, playing idly on his electrobass. He nodded at the ice pack Orion still had taped to his faceplates.

“Training. How’s it going, Jazz?” Optimus questioned the musician.

“Waitin’ for Prowler to get done with his datawork and come on out. Figured I might pluck out some music while I wait.” Jazz and Prowl were polar opposites. Prowl was serious, dedicated, loved to work, and kept strict schedules. Jazz was free and easy-going, loved to play music and dance, and had a casual schedule with a few of the nightclubs in the area to play for them in exchange for a little money and free drinks. Jazz was everyone’s friend. Prowl curated his friends strictly. Orion wasn’t even sure he was on his partner’s short list of “friends” yet. He certainly thought of him as a friend, but to Prowl he might still be a close colleague. Jazz was his friend though.

“Still working on that set for Bonded Spark’s day?” Orion leaned against a column outside the precinct.

“I think I’m gonna finalize the tunes this decacyle and the lyrics shouldn’t take much more than another couple to be finished up. Why? Gonna bring a sweetspark to the Debut?” Jazz liked to debut his new sets for personal friends before playing with his band in the nightclubs. He was very talented. 

“You know me, Jazz. I’m bonded to the job. I might drag along a friend if it’s going to be a couples’ night, though.” 

“Any +1 of yours is welcome at my place.” Jazz agreed easily. “I’ll get you the invitation the decacycle before.”

“If I’m off-duty, I’ll be there.” Orion promised as Prowl came out down the steps. 

“Ready to go home, Prowler?” Jazz plucked out a happy few bars of melody before putting away the bass. 

“More than ready.” Prowl cracked a smile for Jazz. “Good day, Orion.”

“Good day, Prowl. I’ve picked up another exploratory tonight.”

“Be careful.” Prowl’s faceplates were all business in a spark beat. “And make sure to file a-“

“3487Y, I know, I know.” Orion assured. “Even if absolutely NOTHING happens and I am in no way harmed, inconvenienced, or learn anything useful at all, I will file your ridiculous 3487Y.” 

“It’s procedure, Orion.” Prowl never cracked a smile for him, but the optic roll was almost as cheerful as he ever became. “We have to do it.”

“It’s ridiculous, but I’ll do my best.” Orion assured, walking away with a tossed salute over his shoulder. Another descent into the mist that brewed beneath the civilized portion of Iacon. He couldn’t wait.


	4. Exploration

The mists had the same sinister air that they always did. They were always chokingly thick and warm. If it weren’t for the stench of muck and the constant awareness of other shapes moving through the fog, Orion might have compared walking between the columns supporting the rest of the city to being steam-bathed. He could feel droplets of water forming in his seams and running down his plating.

“Here you are again, Pax.” Starscream emerged from the mist in the same enigmatic way he had the first night Orion had seen him. “What are you looking for down here?”

“It’s an exploratory patrol. All I’m supposed to be doing is getting to know the neighborhood and keeping an eye out for trouble.” Orion replied, easily flicking his brights over Starscream briefly to make sure he was alone before turning them back ahead. “Walking home again?”

“Yes. The semester’s almost over. I’ll have exams in the next decacyle and then it’s a quarter before I have to go back.”

“Are you excited?” The police officer smiled over at the Seeker.

“Somewhat. I’m adding two new degrees to my office wall. But I never attend the commencement. It’s not required to graduate and I see no point in it.”

After a few moments of silence where Orion flicked his brights over a few cyberhounds rooting through a dumpster, he continued to question. “How many is that?”

“Sixteen. A square number.” Starscream adjusted the sleeves of his partially-zipped jacket. 

“Don’t you think that’s a little excessive?” Orion found himself questioning. 

“I don’t see that it’s your business.” Starscream replied, pulling the sleeves further up above his elbows. They barely made it into a neat-ish cuff. 

“It’s not. I just wondered. When do you plan to stop?”

“When the University lifts its ban on Seekers attending.” Starscream lifted and spread his servos in a semi-helpless gesture. “Call it a protest of attrition.”

“But being in school all the time… Doesn’t it prevent you from doing any research or work in your field? You have school and your dojo. That can’t leave much time for anything else.” He tested the waters gently, suspecting what the Seeker’s answer would be. 

“…I’m not permitted to work in my field any other way than school.” Starscream admitted. “In Iacon, it seems Functionism reigns.”

“Wouldn’t it be different in Vos? Or Altihex?” Orion suggested. Altihex was more focused on scientific advancement than on the frames of the scientists doing the advancing, and Vos was self-explanatory.

“Altihex may seem inclusive on the surface, but that’s just to satisfy certain political alliances. In reality, if you’re not a Praxian frame or at least a wheeled vehicle, you’d be lucky not to get your work stolen and published.” Starscream informed with something that sounded almost tired in his vox. “And I can’t go back to Vos.” He tossed his helm and lifted his servos in a shrug. “It just wouldn’t work for me.”

Orion decided not to press on that issue, not yet. “Who taught you the martial arts?”

“My Creators. Family friends. And my own Senseis. Mostly my Senseis. I was always an over-achiever. I only had to master three of the forms, but I decided I wanted to do them all. It was a mistake. I became arrogant… and that leads to a long, hard fall when the time comes.” For a moment, it seemed Starscream was lost in dark memories. “…I had mastered all seven and was using weaponry regularly to train by the time I was 167 vorns. It was unprecedented.”

“Your Creators must have been very proud.” Orion neutrally stated.

“…You would think so.” Starscream muttered, soto voice. There was a long, awkward silence as they continued on their way towards Starscream’s district.

“Do you like music?” Orion questioned, changing the subject.

“Who doesn’t like music?” 

“If I asked you to a Debut of a new Album by a friend, would you come?”

“It would depend. If it’s Electrobubblepop, count me out.” Starscream pinched the bridge of his nasal vent. “I swear, I will never tolerate that stuff in my presence again…”

“I’m not totally sure what it is. Sometimes, Jazz mixes around his genres when he’s putting together a set. But I don’t think it’s Electrobubblepop.” Orion assured. “But it’s for Bonded-Spark’s Day, so it’s probably going to be very sentimental and romantic.”

“Are you trying to ask me out on a date, Pax?” Starscream raised an optical ridge at him. “Wouldn’t that be a bad move considering your political standing and my lack thereof?”

“No one at the Debut would care if I showed up with a turbofox as my +1.” Orion replied easily. And Jazz certainly wouldn’t. Nor would the people he collected as his friends. Prowl probably would worry, but he was always worried. “And I don’t want to run for the senate or Council. Politics don’t interest me.”

“It’s all a load of gas up there.” Starscream agreed. “But if anyone could change it, I would believe you would. I’d vote for you. Well, if I could vote, I would.”

“Oh, that’s right. You wouldn’t be a citizen, would you?” Orion realized. Iacon had a fairly strict citizenship policy. A mech had to be born to citizens or bond with a citizen in order to receive the full rights of citizenship in Iacon. 

“Nope. Not certain I would want to be either.” Starscream replied easily. “I have Vosnian Citizenship and an unlimited visa for Iacon, so I’m in no danger of being forced to leave.”

“How does it work in other cities?” Orion questioned. “What does it take to be a Vosnian Citizen?”

“You have to either be born to a Vosnian or born physically in Vos. So long as you’re one of those two things, you’re a permanent citizen of the Aeries of the Airlord of Vos.” Starscream used the long name for Vos seemingly as some kind of emphasis. “What they don’t mention is that there are levels of citizenship in Vos, with unwritten rules that prevent non-Seekers from participating in the government or enlisting in the garrison. They also don’t mention that if you lose your wings, you cease to be a Seeker.” Starscream reached up and rubbed one of his shoulders, crossing his frame with the other arm in a subtle self-hug.

“…I’m sorry.” Orion apologized again. “I didn’t mean to bring up bad memories.”

“No, it’s okay.” Starscream sadly replied. “You weren’t one of the Poachers.”

“What happened to them? Were they caught?”

“In a way. I killed them both.” Starscream tiredly shifted his optics to Orion. “It was a clean kill. I followed the laws and customs of Vos. But I wish I had managed to get them before they destroyed my wings.”

Orion was quiet for a few moments. He had known Starscream had the capacity to kill – all mechs did, at spark – and the skill to take down much larger opponents, but he could hardly imagine the small Seeker, thin and slim as a reed, swaying with energon loss and pain, taking on even one Poacher, much less two. The Seeker was hiding reserves of strength he could hardly imagine. “I understand. It’s not fair. And it wasn’t right.”

“But you would rather that every criminal stand trial despite how dangerous they might be.” Starscream quoted from one of his interviews on broadcast.

“Of course. And I would press for the death penalty in a case as heinous as Poaching.” Orion assured Starscream. “I would never try to excuse a mech who would mutilate another for fun.”

They reached the elevator shaft and Starscream grabbed the ladder. When he had climbed up a few steps, he sighed. “…If I don’t have anything going on the evening of, I’ll go to the debut with you.”

“Good enough for me.” Orion waved up at him as he climbed out of sight.


	5. Blocks and Processor Speed

Pharma was hanging around the police station when Orion got out of work the next day. Wary, Orion watched as the Seeker approached him, aware of the beating he had been handed the first time he and Pharma faced off.

“Hey, Hero Cop, wait up!” Pharma stormed after him as the Police officer turned to go back to his apartment, hoping against hope that the other Seeker was looking for someone else. 

Orion sighed and one servo strayed a little closer to his stun stick in its subspace pocket as he turned. “Good afternoon, Pharma.”

“Don’t ‘good afternoon’ me. Come on!” Pharma grabbed his elbow and dragged him towards a nearby café. “We need to have a talk.” The Seeker’s voice was in a nasty tone.

It would probably not make Starscream happy if Orion caused a scene and got his cousin arrested, so Orion decided to go along with it for now, banking on the idea that Pharma knew it would make his cousin extremely unhappy if he tried to kill a police officer while still living at Senbonzakura Dojo. That would certainly give the University the excuse it was looking for to get rid of both Seekers. 

They sat down at a booth where they were mostly shielded from sight and put in orders for a late lunch as Pharma continued to glare at Orion. When the server brought their drinks, the Seeker finally broached the subject. “What are you thinking asking my cousin out?!”

“I find him both attractive and a pleasant conversationalist.” Orion gently replied, trying to keep things civil. 

“You don’t know anything about him!” Pharma hissed back. “You’ve spoken to him what, twice? And now you’ve decided you want to go out with him?! Are you crazy?!?”

“I asked him to a party, Pharma, please, calm down.” Orion patted the air with one servo, trying to quiet the other Seeker. “I have no intention of hurting your cousin, or of pressuring him into anything. I just want another chance to speak with him and get to know him more.”

Pharma leveled a digit at his nasal vent. “You leave my cousin alone. He’s going through things right now and he doesn’t need another Convoy to come stomping in and rattle him around again-“

Okay, now Orion was beginning to get angry and some of his infamous temper was rising. Pharma was a Seeker in Iacon. Many other frames became wary of Convoys when they saw how much functionism had leaked into every aspect of life and how badly people were treated for their frametype. But Orion had a reputation for being especially tolerant of other frames. And he had never harmed Starscream, or overstepped his bounds. There was no reason for this attitude and it smacked of a different brand of functionism. He tried to get a latch on it as best he could. “I’m sure that if Starscream didn’t want to come, he can speak for himself-“ He tried to defuse the situation as much as possible.

“And what would you do if he said he didn’t come, huh? If he changed his processor, what then?!”

Orion took a deep sip of his tea. Keep calm, Orion. Don’t frag this up. “From my understanding, Starscream is a Carrier Mech, and thus has the prerogative to change his processor. Now, if you’re not going to be civil, I have to ask you to leave.”

Pharma didn’t back down, but he did stand up. “Stay away from Starscream. He can’t be seen with the likes of you.”

Orion bit back the retort dying to come out of his vocalizer.

 

“I apologize for my cousin.” Starscream told Orion as he helped the Convoy warm up with a series of stretches before their training session. “I did not send him to confront you and my opinions on cross-frame relationships are not the same as his.”

“There’s no need to mention it. If I was a stranger in Vos and my cousin was courting a Seeker, I would probably be a little paranoid as well.” Orion stretched out a kink in his back. Starscream was much more flexible than he was. 

The Seeker pulled his ankles flat with his thighs, frowning. “Still, it was unwarranted and rude. I don’t need him getting himself into trouble.”

“I will try to ensure he doesn’t.” Orion agreed, struggling to pull his ankles in further than halfway.

“Hold for a few moments more, then release. All right. Stand up.” Starscream leapt easily from his contorted position to his pedes.

Orion rose to his pedes with clumsy grace, doing his best not to be embarrassed by how easily Starscream had completed the same maneuver. This was, after all, why he was the instructor and Orion the student.

“I’m going to start you with basic positions, blocking and dodging. You’ll win a fight more easily if your opponent can’t hit you.” The Seeker explained. “Though, with your size, you may not be able to avoid all blows aimed your way. On the other hand, once you know how to minimize damage, your bulk will help you to power through conflicts. So don’t be discouraged.”

“I won’t be, Sensei.” Orion promised.

“This is the most basic block. Lift your arm in front of your body and push up and away from your frame.” Starscream took a defensive crouch. “Make sure your center of gravity is as low as you can comfortably make it. If your opponent manages to put you on your back, you’ll be vulnerable and have to recover.”

“Is there a way to recover at that point?” Orion crouched as well, feeling the joints in his hips and knees protesting.

“Of course, but it’s an advanced technique, and you probably won’t need it. Just don’t let anyone push you over in the first place.” The Seeker stood up and corrected the Cop’s stance in a few points. “All right. Push, up and away, keep the other arm close to your body so you can block a second blow if it comes. When defending against an attacker, always keep in mind that any crack in your defense will be exploited.”

Starscream and Orion took basic stances in the middle of the room and Starscream dropped into a crouch. “All right. I’m attacking you. What do you do?”

Orion took a defensive stance and kept his optics on Starscream, trying to judge which servo he was going to attack with. He stepped forward on his right pede, but swung with his left, giving Orion a tap on the grille that ached. “Keep your arms lower and closer together. You can lift an arm to block something coming at your face faster than you can drop it.”

Orion rubbed the spot. “I wonder why that is.”

Starscream took the opportunity to press his advantage with three blows – two of which Orion blocked. “Well, it’s a facet of how your processor works. When you see a threat coming, your processor will prioritize the upper portion of your frame – where your spark and processor are located. So, if you see someone’s pede coming for your face, you’ll find it much easier to whip an arm up and block than it is to drop an arm for a pede coming at your crotch.”

“Do you always give your students basic science lessons while you beat them up?” Orion questioned as the third blow bloomed painfully against his block and he pushed up and away dutifully.

“Only the promising ones.” Starscream smirked.


	6. Walking Up

The Debut date finally rolled around and Starscream had nothing else going on.

“Please, don’t go.” Pharma was sitting on his berth being unhelpful. “You can’t be seen with a common police officer. It wouldn’t end well.”

“I like that “Common Police Officer” better than any of my other suitors.” Starscream pointed out, polishing his plating in circles. “And now that I’ve lost my wings, those other suitors seem to have vanished, isn’t that funny?” His faceplates were glossed up and colored in a modern style more suited to Praxus than Vos.

“Starscream, I can fix your wings. Just give me time, and I’ll find a way. But you can’t fix a reputation.” The would-be-doctor pointed out with a wagging finger and shaking helm.

“If you think I have any intention of going back to Vos – wings or not – then you have another thing coming.” Starscream reminded him. “I can’t live where I’m not valued. Besides, my reputation was shot when I decided to come to Iacon. I’m not a pure and innocent debutant, Pharma, and it’s time you accept that. I am who I am.”

“Who you are is the-“ Pharma found himself cut off.

“Not anymore, remember? My Creator disowned me.” Starscream stood up coldly. “I’ve sheltered you here for several vorns. If you continue to meddle in my business, insult my choices, and insist that everything can be “fixed” and we can go back to the way it was, then I must ask you to find alternate housing. I do not care to have this argument every time you don’t approve of something I am choosing to do.” 

The two Seekers glared at each other red-gold optics holding fast on ice blue, and finally Pharma ducked his optics away. “…You don’t even know him, Starscream.”

“I know that he’s polite, has a reputation for being fair, and I like him. That is enough for you.” Starscream went to his closet and opened it up. He had a few different jackets for various occasions. His most common was the stamped leather he was wearing. It was comfortable, protective, and trapped warmth against his plating. However, there was a sleeveless sort of wrapped coat that he preferred for special occasions made of a pearl blue Vosnian brocade. It had a phoenix picked into it in white and gold thread and a high collar. Starscream pulled it on over himself and buttoned it up. The dragons embossed over his shoulders and down his arms were on full display. 

“…Please, don’t go.” Pharma made one last effort. “This could be trouble. For both of us.”

“It might also be good way to ensure we have an ace in the hole.” Starscream pointed out and closed his door behind him. 

He clicked his way through the silent dojo. Permanent “students” slept in one of the sound-proofed training rooms on thick, foam mats. Starscream briefly paused at the window to look in on them. The youngest were piled together with their blankets mounded up over them. The older ones stretched out on their own mats and recharged with or without blankets as they pleased. Starscream felt a soft smile hovering at his lipplates and turned away.

 

Orion was loitering outside the dojo. He had polished up as well, Starscream was gratified to notice, and he cleaned up nicely. Starscream came up to about mid-way on his chest. 

“Good evening, Starscream. That’s a lovely jacket.” Orion greeted, extending an arm for the Seeker to take. “Jazz lives up one level and across the city.”

“Quite a walk. Will we have enough time?” Starscream hooked his servo over Orion’s elbow. 

Orion checked his chronometer and mentally kicked himself. It normally took him less than a klickcycle to get across the city, but that was driving speed, not walking, and Starscream might have been much more graceful than he was, but he also had much shorter legs. “…We might be fashionably late.”

“Or I could just ride on top of your alt-mode.” Starscream pointed out. 

“…You wouldn’t be embarrassed?” Orion questioned as they headed for the nearest lift station. 

“I’m a wingless Seeker, Orion. I lost a lot of dignity and capacity for embarrassment a long time ago. I’ll hitch rides when I can.” 

Orion nodded. Hard as it was to be a non-Convoy, it had to be worse to not be able to transform at all. “…You must be a very resilient person, Starscream. I admire that.”

“No. I’m just too stubborn to lie down and die.” Starscream sassed. “But, from my understanding, that’s about the same thing in either case.”

“I suppose.” Orion chuckled, sapphire optics warming.

“While we’re on the topic of embarrassing subjects. Why do you wear that facemask all the time? I’ve never seen a picture of you without it.” Starscream questioned.

“I take it off to fuel.” Orion replied with a shrug. “As for why I keep it on, I’m told it makes me look a little more intimidating, more professional. Apparently, I have a sparkling faceplate.”

“I’d like to see that.” Starscream chuckled. 

“You probably will as soon as we get to Jazz’s place. The first thing he likes to do is stuff engex cubes into everyone’s servos.”

“Sounds like my kind of party.” Starscream let Orion swipe them into the elevator with his access card. 

“Only if you get out of there before people start throwing jellies.”

That soured the Seeker. His smile disappeared and he stared straight ahead. “…Quite a mess.”

“…It can be. But Jazz is a free spirit, and doesn’t care.” Orion carefully studied Starscream’s more closed stance. 

“I’m sorry. It just sounds incredibly wasteful to me.” Starscream stated outright.

“Prowl keeps it from going too far.” Orion pointed out. “He never gets overcharged either.”

“Mmm.” Starscream conceded with a soft hum. “I’m sorry. In Vos, a lot of resources are wasted. Our city structure is very… feudal, and in the mind of the current rulers, the Seekers are his to dispose of expense of the common born. Many of the ordinary workers can barely keep energon on the table, and homeless families build nests in every alley and nook. Frankly, it’s disgusting, and it’s half the reason I decided to leave.” 

“Does Pharma disagree?” Orion questioned.

“Pharma isn’t a rebel. He goes with the flow generally and he believes in traditional values. It’s not a bad thing, but it ensures that he goes through life with certain filters on his optics.” Starscream explained. “He believes that if I go back to Vos and accept the place my family assigned me when I lost my wings, that I will be more happy and better accepted. But I would rather be free.” 

“…I agree.” Orion stated as they stepped out of the lift and onto the entertainment district’s streets. The entertainment district was a level below the University District and it bordered on the barely-decent Industrial district. Right below them was the Housing District – which ranged from extremely expensive to tenements – and below that the base of the city. “I can’t compare my situation to yours, but I also made choices I know my Creators would not approve of.”

“Is one of those choices asking me to a party?” Starscream raised an optical ridge.

Orion chuckled. “Yes.”


	7. Jazz's Debut

Jazz had set up at the end of the room with his bass. He liked to play some of the songs as they were debuted. Currently, a mostly instrumental dancing number was playing. One of Jazz’s old favorites – Sunny Day. He hadn’t started up the new album then. There was a poster of the album cover, though, nearby. It was a datacard with petals trailing over it titled “Love Story.” Classic Jazz: Cheesy to the core.

Prowl’s face puckered slightly when he saw Starscream on Orion’s arm and Orion remembered this would be the first time his partner had ever seen Starscream. The Praxian officer slowly made his way over. With Jazz busy playing music, it was clear Prowl had taken over as host to ensure the party ran smoothly.

Starscream, for his part, read Prowl like a book. “He doesn’t like me, does he?”

“Prowl is steeped in department politics.” Orion informed Starscream carefully. “He’s not a bad mech when you get to know him, but he worries about reputation.”

“Ah. So he doesn’t like me.” The charm hanging off of a decal antenna behind Starscream’s helm dangled as he shook his helm and braced up with his legs.

Orion shrugged helplessly as Prowl finally reached them. Perhaps he should have headed the Praxian off, but it was too late for that now. “Hello, Prowl. This is Starscream – Starscream, this is my partner, Prowl.”

 

“Of course. Hello, Prowl, I’ve heard so much about you.” Starscream smiled with his red-painted lipplates. “Orion talks about you all the time. You sound so dedicated – it’s good to see you take time to relax.”

Prowl was briefly stunned as Orion didn’t know whether to be delighted or not. Starscream seemed to have effectively disarmed his partner with a few sentences.

“Of course. I have Jazz to make sure I do.” Prowl spoke after a few moments. “And Orion talks about you quite a bit as well. Specifically, the number of dents you give him.”

“He leaves a few on me as well.” Starscream patted Orion’s arm fondly. “Go get us some punch, will you, sweetspark. I’d like to get acquainted with Prowl for a bit.”

Orion gladly stepped away to find the punch bowl while Starscream and Prowl started chatting – seemingly about paperwork of all things. The two mechs stepped aside from the entry way to talk and Orion shook his helm in amused relief. He should have known Starscream was a warrior with words as well as his frame. 

Ironhide was beside the drinks table, nursing some filtered engex. “That the instructor the boys are saying can’t be beat?”

“I don’t know about that.” Orion replied modestly proud of Starscream’s growing notoriety among the police. “But I can’t beat him.”

“I might have to go my ten rounds with him someday at this rate. Really piqued my interest, what the boys have been saying.”

“I hope you do. I would want to watch.” Orion smiled into a bottle of some kind of fizzing energon as he poured two cubes of the punch.

“Cheeky.” Ironhide drawled. “Careful, or I’ll stick you with exploratories and desk work for a decacycle.”

“Sir, yes, sir.” Orion scampered off before Ironhide could react and nodded to Jazz as he passed his friend, laboring over the strings of the base, coming back to where Prowl and Starscream were still standing.

“Oh, yes, I have to agree – working with accountants is the most frustrating. I have expenses, payroll, taxes, and revenue – why complicate it?” Starscream was just saying. “But they need to have every item itemized and confirmed. I would understand if I was asking for tax breaks, but I don’t qualify for any – I’m not a citizen!”

“Procedure is bogged down in places. It needs streamlining. But if you bring up anything that might actually be helpful for the department, it gets slapped down.” Prowl was agreeing. “And at this point, I don’t even bother trying to reason with accounting – tips cost credits sometimes!”

“It’s as If they live in their own little world of numbers and justification.” Starscream’s charm jangled every time he shook his helm, the little crystals on its face catching the light. “And they don’t understand that not everyone does.”

“Well, at least accountants seem to be a minority. A very vocal one, but a minority.” Prowl sighed.

“Ah, the punch. Thank you, Orion.” Starscream accepted one of the cubes Orion offered and hooked his arm back around Orion’s.

“Thank you.” Prowl accepted the second cube and sipped. Meanwhile, Jazz finished Sunny Day and came down off of his dais to greet them. 

“You’re just in time, Orion.” Jazz punched his arm. “I’m about to start up my new album.” The artist leaned over and kissed Prowl’s cheek. “There’s my favorite detective.” Then, he turned to Starscream. “And you must be the pretty slip who can toss Orion’s chassis from here to the Palace.”

“It might take me a few tries.” Starscream humorously replied, the brocade of his jacket soft and warm against Orion’s plating. 

“I like to think it’s not quite that far.” Orion squeezed the Seeker’s arm slightly.

Jazz chuckled. “Oh, my, Primus. Who does your embossing? It’s fabulous!” 

“Oh, you wouldn’t know them. They only work out of Vos.” Starscream obligingly held out his free arm to Jazz to inspect the intricate dragon running up it. “His name is Shen Yun – he’s my guardian spirit, if you believe in that sort of thing.” 

“How long did it take to do all of this?” Jazz ran his digits reverently over the Seeker’s bicep where Shen’s tail lashed just short of the blue servo. Starscream’s leather jacket usually covered all of this with ease. 

“Oh, Primus, whole Cycles. They used to run all over my wings as well, but… well, let’s ballpart it at about two klickcycles of solid work.” Starscream sipped his punch again, seeming slightly uncomfortable with the revelation he had let slip.

Not even Jazz really seemed to know what to say to that. “Well, I got to get up and start out with “Love Story.” Prowl, will you get everyone’s attention for me?”

“Of course, Sweetspark.” Prowl linked his arm with Jazz.

“…They seem very in love.” Starscream commented to Orion. “I hope I didn’t make them too uncomfortable.”

“It’s not an easy topic.” Orion bent down and briefly brushed Starscream’s forehead with his lipplates. “Though it does make me curious about the rest of Shen Yun.”

“Oh, after I was poached, my artist repaired him as much as he could and made sure I had at least one, whole dragon over my frame.”

“I’ve never seen another Seeker with dragons.” Orion commented. “Are they not common in Vos?”

“Each family in Vos has their own guardian. My family is dragons. Pharma is a distant cousin, but his family claims the Turbofox for their guardian.” Starscream explained. 

“And the phoenix?” Orion questioned out of curiosity.

“The Pheonix is closely associated with Primus – in Vos, only the Prime himself would have the right to claim the Pheonix. Otherwise, it’s used by almost anyone who wishes to invoke Primus.” Starscream smoothed down his jacket. 

“Is everything in Vos symbolic?”

“Nearly.” Starscream smiled. “Perhaps someday, I’ll show you my veil.”

“…What’s that symbolic of?”

“I’ll explain then.”


	8. The Orphans

They walked back to the dojo, singing some of Jazz’s songs and laughing. It had been a wonderful evening. “…This was a lot of fun.” Starscream smiled up at Orion. “I’m glad you invited me.”

“If he has another debut, I’ll invite you again.” Orion promised. “I… Liked having you there.”

“I’m afraid I might have abandoned you somewhat with Prowl.”

“Of course not. It was good to see him making friends with someone outside the department. And Ironhide is very impressed at what he’s been hearing about your dojo. You might get some new students.” Orion told him. “Though he does want to go at least one round with you.”

“Bring it on.” Starscream challenged with a smile. “I’ll take him and all comers after him.”

“I’d like to watch, when it does happen. A regular duel of the Fates.” Orion commented, imagining Starscream going at it with his Commander. Ironhide was a powerful and battle-hardened mech, but Starscream was fast, dense, and skilled. It would probably be a better fight than the Seeker had with Orion, or any of the other officers he trained. 

“That’s an odd turn of phrase. What’s it from?” Starscream tipped his helm slightly. “It’s referenced in some Iaconian literature, but I haven’t found a solid explanation.”

Orion was glad to have something to tell Starscream that would demonstrate more than his lack of fighting skill. “It’s from an old Legend. The Fates are a pair of guardian spirits who watch over all Cybertronian’s lives. One of them wants to give people good lives, peaceful and prosperous. One of them wants to bring suffering – to set the balance. The Fates duel to decide what happens in that persons life. It’s a climatic battle, that sets the tone of life for the mech. Usually, neither Fate really wins – instead, they compromise, deciding how much good and bad a person will have.”

“So, you think Ironhide can take me to a stalemate?” Starscream raised an optical ridge. 

“Well, no, but I do think it will be… A fight that we could sell tickets to, let’s put it like that. It’s certainly the kind of thing we would place bets on.” Orion pulled him a little closer. “I’d bet on you, of course.”

“Start a pool then – I’m intrigued. I want to see how this Ironhide commands himself in the ring. But we’ll have to schedule for after finals. It’s too close to the end of the semester to tack on something else in my schedule. Oh, and no gambling on-site. It’s not worth the trouble I could get into.”

“I’ll do my best to keep it in the office.” Orion assured. “But you’re going to have a lot of officers who want to spectate.”

“Perhaps we could have it in a public place instead of at the dojo. I could arrange for a demonstration at the Park – I’ve managed it before.” Starscream hummed softly. “A Martial Arts demonstration of Vosnian culture. It was… quite an event. From when I was just starting the dojo.”

Orion thought briefly. Usually events like that had records in the Police, and he had been a beat cop for several Vorns. “…The Culture Festival from about thirteen vorns ago? You were there?”

“I went as a Master, in Vosnian dress, and taught basic classes for free, to promote my dojo.” Starscream confirmed with a nod. “You were there, I remember.”

“What?” Orion looked down at him.

“You passed by one of my demonstrations and classes. You were busy, but I saw your badge on your shoulder and your Riot backpack. It was during the Praxian disturbances, and the Force must have been worried.” Starscream explained. “How do you think I knew you were an officer the first time we met in the mists? I recognized you.”

“From thirteen vorns ago? You have quite a memory.” That was when he was just a beat cop, not a detective. He remembered the disturbances and how paranoid the officers had been – the feel of a backpack with riot gear ready to deploy. He remembered walking through the festival, watching the displays and the crowd for any sign of foul play, and then he remembered the class of people posing in basic fighting crouches and carefully punching and kicking in the air. He hadn’t recognized the teacher as a Seeker – because Starscream didn’t have wings. He had thought it was a Praxian. “…I remember now. I thought you were a Praxian, but I didn’t take the time to really look.”

“The Praxian Disturbances made the whole city paranoid.” Starscream dryly replied. “I remember poking any box I saw on the street with a long, steel pole before I passed it. It was when I started taking in my… well, the street mechlings. I started giving them a place to sleep for the night, and it snowballed.”

“Some of your students are street mechlings?” Orion questioned. He hadn’t known, and the Seeker didn’t advertise it.

“Between you and me, I actually have very few paying customers who are mechlings. Most of them are just mechlings I’m trying to keep off the streets – even only for a few hours. I feed them, when I can. What’s the option? Leave them to starve?” Starscream became defensive as he glared up at the police officer. Iacon was not a good place to be a lost, abandoned, or orphaned mechling. Stupid as it was, but by the same token that Seekers were disliked, there was a stigma associated with being an orphan, or losing your child. It was a curse – the judgment of Primus on you. And it was disgusting.

“…If you ever can’t feed them again, come to me.” Orion told the Seeker. “There’s some resources at the department, and I know some folks who work in the energon dispensery. They’ll give me a break on the price if I buy in bulk.”

Starscream relaxed, really he should have known Orion would have no problem with the sparklings. “Thank you.”

Orion patted his side. “…I’d like to meet them, sometime.”

“It would probably be smart. They need to know the Police aren’t just the thugs they need to keep away from.” Starscream sighed. “Many of them are… wary at best. But they’re in recharge now. I should go, and watch over them, study.” This walk would have taken moments if he had wings. 

“Come on.” Orion transformed. “Climb up, I’ll get you home as quick as I can.”

Starscream climbed up on the back of Orion’s trailer and folded his legs beneath him. “All right, go for it.” 

 

Orion left Starscream outside the dojo and walked out through the University district. Iacon seemed much less friendly whenever he met with the Seeker. Perhaps it was because he saw briefly into a world where it wasn’t easy to walk on the right side of the law or the public. Perhaps because he agreed with Starscream fundamentally – Iacon was a cold city guided too much by tradition and not enough by compassion. It might have been a beautiful city – towers of glittering lights lifted up from the ground by columns of steel, but it was a cold city.

Orion wished he still smoked. At times like these, he missed the bite of crystal energon lit on fire and barely smoldering. Even the scent – which was unpleasant at best – held a touch of nostalgia for the detective. He reached into a subspace pocket for a pack of chewing gels and began working a lump between his denteas. 

Taking a short cut down an alleyway, he stumbled across something that would change his life, Starscream’s, and all of Iacon.


	9. No Idea

It was never a good day when a Senator was found dead – especially not one as influential as Ominus. From the looks of things, he had been jumped by at least six mechs and beaten severely before they ignited his energon and left him to burn. Orion needed that crystal light even worse now and the lump of chewing gel was becoming more and more tasteless. Prowl was on his way – unhappy about being pulled from Jazz’s party, but sober and grim.  
“Mob, you think? Mafia?” Orion questioned as the Praxian drove up and transformed beside him.  
“Worse. Seekers. This is going to be trouble, Orion, especially for our friend.” Prowl folded his arms, and pointed out a spray-painted logo on the wall. It looked like a pair of angled wings. “Looks like the Sky Kings.”  
Orion had always wondered why the gangs that wandered Iacon liked to call themselves “Kings.” Why not Primes? It didn’t matter at the moment, but it was something to think on. “Our friend might know some things about the Sky Kings if we ask. I can’t imagine they wouldn’t have approached him at some point.”  
“True. He does fit their criteria for joining, but he doesn’t have his wings. That would have decreased his value to them in spite of his martial skill.” Prowl pointed out. Being on top of all the gangs in Iacon was the Praxian’s job, and he took pride in it. From what Orion remembered, the Sky Kings were ambush predators and smugglers, using their wings to circumvent normal customs and justice and bring large amounts of syk into the city.  
“The Sky Kings have never factored in assassinations before. Not of Senators.” The gangs tended not to strike against government officials. Killing a Police Officer was different from killing a Senator. Both would spark outrage, but the gangs and the Senators sometimes had unspoken alliances, and bribes were always more powerful than law. “Could it be a coincidence?”  
“No.” Prowl shook his head. “Look at these scratches. They’re fresh.” He pointed to a few sets of claw marks in the wall where something large and heavy had grabbed on and held itself. “And he might have been torched, but you can see similar marks here and here, on the torso.” Prowl pointed carefully at the burned corpse. “He was clawed open, then torched, and left here under the Sky King’s gang sign.”  
Orion whistled through his dentaes. “Slag.”  
“Slag.” Prowl agreed, standing back from the frame. “The coroner’s here. I’ve got all I can from the scene.”  
“So have I.” Orion grimly nodded, stepping back. Gangs taking political stands were rare. Most just let the system run by over their helms and only tried to grease the wheels when necessary. Something big had to be going on in the Senate if the Sky Kings had assassinated a Senator. Orion would check the voting records and see about any of the bills currently being considered.

Starscream woke draped on his side on a mat in the main room of his dojo. He had been keeping watch over the younglings and a few of the younger ones had curled up at his side. Sighing, the Seeker pushed himself up on his elbows and stroked a few small helms and pedes so he could disentangle himself from them. Two decacycles, then the semester would be over. Summer was always his busiest time of year. It was the only time the dojo remained solidly in the black for the whole season. He needed to prepare for it.  
When he opened his doors to let the light and air in, Orion was waiting. Starscream jumped when he saw him. “Orion? Has something happened?”  
“I need to ask you some questions. We have a case on our hands… and it’s a doozy.”  
“Come in.”


	10. No, this Does not mean we're going anywhere

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's only fair I tell you what was going to happen. I'm so sorry. When I began this, I was so excited for it. I'm never going to start putting up a fanfiction I haven't completed again.

\- Senator Ominous's murder was a message. Megatron has taken control of the gangs in Iacon and turned them into his Decepticons. Starscream goes undercover to find out about it and is kicked out of University because of it.

\- Pharma finishes his doctor's education and tries to take Starscream home to Vos. Starscream chooses to stay in Iacon with the dojo and the sparklings he's all but adopted

-Orion and Starscream are engaged to bond when things are more settled. Newsflash: They never get settled

\- Megatron assassinates the current Prime, leaving the Matrix behind on accident. Orion is chosen by it and becomes the new Prime.

-Orion chooses Starscream to be his frameguard and the captain of his guards in general. As a result, he accompanies Orion on all diplomatic missions.

\- They visit Vos, where they're greeted by the Royal Family. The King of Vos asks Orion about Starscream and, naively, the new Prime spills all the beans, much to Starscream's dismay. This leads to the revelation that Starscream was the Crown Prince before he was poached.

\- The Vosnian visit doesn't go much better. Someone asks Starscream what his favorite city is and he replies "Praxus, or Altihex. When there are starving sparkligns in their streets, they do something about it." You can hear a pin drop.

\- Finally, they get back to Iacon, but Starscream insists on bringing a rough gang of Seeker street kids with them.

\- Time skip, in that period, Starscream gets rollerskates put into his pedes for fast movement, and trains his children into an elite fighting force that takes over the duties of guarding the Prime.

\- War breaks out! And that's where we end because we've done that section of history to DEATH.


	11. Pfassk It! Last Hurrah!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm not going to give up just yet. Writing out the outline might have sparked something. No promises, but I'm going to keep trying to push this out to the end, even if I abridge some of what I intended to do.

“Sky Kings… I’ve heard of them, but they know better than to come calling.” Starscream mused. “But if they’re involved, I wouldn’t doubt something bigger is going on. They don’t take up political causes.”

“And yet, Senator Ominous is dead.” Orion sighed. “Lovely.”

“Do you have an informant in the Sky Kings?” Starscream questioned as Orion sat down in a chair and pressed a servo to his forehead. 

“No. They’re all Seekers, and the last people a Seeker is going to trust in Iacon are the police.” The Detective replied. “It’s hard to open contact with the Seeker community as it is. This is going to be impossible.”

Starscream thought about it briefly. “…The semester’s up soon. If you need the help, I can try to dig up some information.

“Will that even work? You just said they don’t come around here.”

Starscream shrugged. “I have a better chance than you do.”

“Well, that’s certain. I don’t want you to get hurt, though.” Orion replied, concerned.

“I can take care of myself.” Starscream picked up a baton and spun it in his servo as if in demonstration. “Don’t worry.” He stuck the baton into a holster on his hip. “But I have to get to classes. I’ll comm you when I’ve found out something.”

“Thank you, Starscream.” Orion stood up and approached the Seeker, gently putting his servos on the leather covering the Seeker’s shoulders. 

“This is my city too, now.” Starscream sighed and reached up to Orion’s face. “Kiss me, idiot. I don’t have time for the longing looks, much as I enjoy them.”

Orion dipped his helm to kiss Starscream on the lipplates and then straightened. “Comm me soon, okay?”

“Okay.” Starscream agreed. “I’ll see you on your exploratory tomorrow.” He jauntily tipped his helm and saluted with two digits before heading for the door.


	12. The Puppet Master

As it turned out, getting in touch with the Sky Kings was easier than Starscream had thought. As usual, when dealing with gangsters and criminals, the best way to get attention was to get out and start busting heads. Starscream gave two Sky Kings a brief demonstration of his skills on his way to University and was no more than a klick late to class. 

On his way back, two shadowy Seekers fell in on either side of him. “You lookin’ for trouble, Starscream?” One of them was his student. Starscream could take him.

“I’m looking for answers. Why are the Sky Kings getting involved in politics?”

“Not for us to say. But the Boss – He wants to meet you. You should come with us.” The other one, the larger of the two, put a hand on Starscream’s arm.

“Rule 1: Don’t touch me.” Starscream gripped him and tossed the big Seeker over his back. Sometimes, he was glad not to have wings anymore. They were certainly a massive target in a fight. “You can show me where the boss holds up without putting a servo on the goods.”

“All right, all right, don’t get upset, Sensei.” His student appeased. “We can do this without touching. Can’t we, Flightdeck?”

“Guess so.” Flightdeck rubbed his helm where Starscream had decked him. “So, you gonna come and see the Boss?”

“Yes. And don’t touch.” Starscream scolded, letting them lead the way.

 

They led him to an abandoned industrial-looking place. Their hideout. Starscream took note of where the guards were placed. The odds were not in his favor if it came to a fight. 

To his surprise, he was led into what looked like a war room. The walls were covered in pictures, articles, and notes. He tried to memorize as much as he could, but it was difficult. And his attention was completely absorbed by the mech who stepped in. The name of the gladiator/poet came easily to his vox. “Megatron.”

“Starscream.” Megatron had a powerful charisma that Starscream could sense filling the whole room. “Formerly of Vos. You’ve gone to some trouble to meet me.”

“Don’t flatter yourself.” Starscream regained his composure and did what he always did when presented with an authority: Disrespected it. He leaned on the center table. “What’s the deal? Killing a Senator in the University district and marking it with the Sky Kings? Are you trying to get my Dojo closed down?”

“Of course not. The location was not our choice.” Megatron smoothly waved it away as if he could dismiss the concern. “And the Sky Kings were just in the right place at the right time.”

Starscream shook his helm. “Next time, tell them to hold off. I’m already catching flak from the force.” 

“Ah, but won’t your own ties to the Police keep you safe?” Megatron leaned closer into Starscream’s space and the Seeker gauged his chances against the huge tank mech.

Not good. That’s what it came down to. “If you’re talking about Orion, he doesn’t have that kind of pull. He came by my place as a courtesy, asking about your foot soldiers.” Starscream directed his gaze down at the table. “What’s the end game then, if I may be curious?”

“You may, considering. I intend to end the reign the Primes have enjoyed over Cybertron.” Megatron gave Starscream a dentea-filled grin. “Some of your relatives have already joined me.”

“I haven’t spoken to any of my family except Pharma in vorns, Megs.” Starscream yawned and turned to glance at the walls. “What makes you think this rebellion will work? Other mechs have tried.”

“Other mechs were not in the position I find myself in.” Megatron dared run a digit over Starscream’s back, where the scars from his wings were. “You’ve seen the corruption, the brutality. Why not join me? Train my soldiers to be as fearsome as you are.”

Starscream swung his baton and slammed it down on the invading servo. Megatron didn’t even flinch, though he withdrew his digits. “Depends. I’d need some assurances.”

“Name your price.”

“First off, keep your activities away from my dojo. Second off, I have a pack of Sparklings to keep in energon. I could use a hand. Third, Orion. He’s untouchable. If you lay a servo on him, the whole deal is off.” 

“If your Detective friend steps on the wrong pedes, I might not be able to honor that third.”

“Tough luck. Those are my terms.” Starscream waved a servo. “And you wouldn’t have brought me here, gone to all this trouble, if you didn’t think you needed me.”

Megatron silently stared at Starscream and he wondered if he had gone too far. Hell, if he hadn’t been Poached and hardened by life in Iacon, Starscream would probably have fallen at his pedes in worship by now. There was just something about the huge, silver mech. 

“Done. When can I expect your first lesson for my men?”

“I can start tonight. There’s nothing on at the dojo that I need to be there for.” Starscream examined his claws. “I’ll just comm Pharma and have him cover me with my private classes.”

“Very well. Come this way.”


End file.
